Hyderabad: Shortage of urea fertiliser across Telangana forced farmers to queue outside Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) even during peak sowing season. While growers complained of acute scarcity, the Union government issued a press release stating that there was no shortage of fertilisers anywhere in the country.
According to the Centre, international agreements were ensuring timely supply to states and long-term national requirements. For the 2025 kharif season, the government claimed fertiliser availability remained comfortable. Against a pro-rata requirement of 143 LMT of urea, availability stood at 183 LMT with 155 LMT already sold. Similarly, for DAP, availability was 49 LMT against a requirement of 45 LMT, while sales reached 33 LMT. In NPK fertilisers, 97 LMT was available against a requirement of 58 LMT, with 64.5 LMT sold so far.
Harish Rao questions responsibility for fertiliser crisis
BRS leader and former minister T. Harish Rao reacted sharply to the Centre’s statement. He asked whether the ongoing urea shortage in Telangana was the failure of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s government or the Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Harish Rao pointed out that as of August 20, 2025, urea sales had risen by over 13 LMT compared with the same period last year. Despite this increase, the Union government had assured that urea supply was being met through enhanced domestic production and global tenders.
“If the Centre’s data is true, then the Telangana government has failed to make fertiliser available to farmers,” Harish Rao posted on X (Twitter). He alleged that the Congress government had failed to procure stocks in time, leaving farmers struggling despite central claims of abundant availability.